Here come the stars and the stripes
In the spring of 1780, the second Great Seal committee consulted Francis Hopkinson, designer of the American flag and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His...
Here come the stars and the stripes
In the spring of 1780, the second Great Seal committee consulted Francis Hopkinson, designer of the American flag and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His...
Second Design for the Great Seal
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution directing that Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson form a committee to design a seal,...
Take two!
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution directing that Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson form a committee to design a seal,...
The eagle lands
The third committee to design the Great Seal met on May 4, 1782, and consulted William Barton, a student of heraldry. His designs, completed five days later,...
The eagle takes center stage
On the front of the fourth design, Charles Thomson combined elements of all three previous attempts. He made the eagle the focal point with its wings pointed down as...
The Great Seal makes its debut
On September 16, 1782, this brass die of the front of the Great Seal was first used to impress its engraved design onto softer metals. Notice that it features a...